Step Into the Future: Uncover the 17 ’70s Sci-Fi TV Titans That Shaped Our Universe and Still Dominate Pop Culture Today!

Ah, the 1970s—a wild era when TV sci-fi was more than just a genre; it was a roaring experiment in imagination mixed with a dash of the bizarre. You ever wonder how a decade’s worth of shows managed to blend mind-bending visions of space with good old-fashioned chase drama? That’s right—before the galaxy far, far away of Star Wars took box offices by storm in ’77, networks were already cooking up a stew of science fiction that ran on a secret sauce borrowed from a humble source: The Fugitive. Picture it—astronauts fleeing ape overlords, androids hunted for what they might become, and entire human fleets on the run from relentless robotic foes. It’s like the universe kept pressing the ‘fugitive’ button and never let go! Yet, not every show was a fugitive saga; some dared to blast off into high-concept adventures, from moon bases hurtling through deep space to superhumans strutting their bionic stuff. Sure, budgets were tight and many series flickered out in just one season, but the spirit of creativity? Boundless. So buckle up, because this isn’t just nostalgia—it’s a trip through a decade where sci-fi TV dared to dream big, get weird, and occasionally, downright hilarious. Fancy a blast to the past where purple-haired astronauts roamed and androids wrestled with humanity? Let’s jump in and relive TV’s cosmic playground of the ’70s. LEARN MORE

The 1970s were a restless, experimental decade for science fiction on television. Star Trek had ended in 1969, but its reruns fueled an ever-growing fan base, proving there was an appetite for imaginative TV even before Star Wars made space opera box-office gold in 1977. What networks turned out instead was a mix of wild experiments, some of which were ambitious and imaginative, others that were campy and more than you may have realized that borrowed a tried-and-true formula from an unlikely source: The Fugitive.

David Janssen’s 1960s drama about a man on the run, pursued relentlessly as he searched for justice, left a blueprint that sci-fi producers eagerly adapted. Again and again in the ’70s, science fiction protagonists found themselves fugitives of one kind or another: astronauts fleeing ape overlords in Planet of the Apes, Logan and Jessica hunted by Sandmen in Logan’s Run, dimension-trapped travelers pursued through the Bermuda Triangle in The Fantastic Journey or Questor, the android from Gene Roddenberry’s pilot The Questor Tapes, tailed by those who feared what he might become. Even beyond this list, shows like The Immortal and The Incredible Hulk carried the same DNA. And on the grandest scale of all, Battlestar Galactica depicted humanity itself as the fugitive—the remnants of a fleet fleeing the robotic Cylons across the galaxy while chasing the dream of Earth.

Not every sci-fi series ran on the fugitive engine, with some aiming for high-concept adventure. Space: 1999 marooned Moonbase Alpha in deep space, inadvertently turning the crew into cosmic wanderers. The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman anchored their stories in near-future tech, mixing spy drama with superhuman feats. Jason of Star Command and Ark II targeted kids on Saturday mornings, one with cliffhanger space opera, the other with moral lessons from a futuristic RV. Quark spoofed it all with a crew of intergalactic garbage collectors.

Looking back, the charm of ’70s sci-fi is in its variety. The budgets weren’t always generous and many shows lasted only a season, but the imagination was boundless. Whether through purple-haired Moonbase crew members, a junkyard man who builds a rocket to the Moon or an android searching for his creator, these series captured both the anxieties and the optimism of the decade.

1. ‘UFO’ (1970–1971, syndicated U.S.; ATV/ITC in UK)

Cast: Ed Bishop (Commander Ed Straker), George Sewell (Alec Freeman), Gabrielle Drake (Lt. Gay Ellis), Michael Billington (Col. Paul Foster), Wanda Ventham (Col. Virginia Lake)

Premise: Set in the near future of 1980, UFO follows SHADO (Supreme Headquarters Alien Defence Organisation), a secret military force created to repel alien invaders who harvest human organs. Operating beneath the cover of a movie studio, SHADO uses lunar bases, interceptor jets and the submarine Skydiver to defend Earth. At the center is Commander Straker, a leader torn between duty and the personal sacrifices the job demands.

Behind-the-Scenes: Created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, UFO was their first live-action series after puppet classics like Thunderbirds. Its mod designs, purple-haired Moonbase crew and slick effects (by Derek Meddings, who worked on many of the James Bond films and Superman: The Movie) stood out, though only 26 episodes were produced. U.S. syndication gave it cult status, and its DNA—sets, props and even cast—fed directly into Space: 1999, making UFO a bridge between the Andersons’ puppet shows and their later sci-fi milestone.

2. ‘Search’ (1972–1973, NBC)

Cast: Hugh O’Brian (Hugh Lockwood), Tony Franciosa (Nick Bianco), Doug McClure (C.R. Grover), Burgess Meredith (V.C.R. Cameron), Angel Tompkins (Gloria Harding), Byron Chung (Kuroda), Albert Popwell (Griffin)

Premise: In this “science fiction in today’s world” series, World Securities Corporation deploys elite operatives—called “Probes”—equipped with implanted scanners and telemetry gear that link them to a mission-control hub. The agents handle high-stakes cases involving international intrigue and organized crime, all without firearms—relying on cutting-edge tech and information flow instead of bullets.

Behind-the-scenes: Created by Leslie Stevens (of The Outer Limits fame), Search launched from its pilot TV movie Probe, rebranded due to a naming conflict. The concept featured rotating lead actors—O’Brian, Franciosa, and McClure—each starring in different episodes alongside Burgess Meredith as the control-room mastermind. Despite its innovative gadgets, impressive production and ambitious vision, the show lasted just one season (23 episodes) before cancellation.

3. ‘The Sixth Sense’ (1972, ABC)

Cast: Gary Collins (Dr. Michael Rhodes), Catherine Ferrar (Nancy Murphy)

Premise: This short-lived series followed Dr. Michael Rhodes, a parapsychology professor who used extrasensory perception to solve crimes and mysteries. Each week, Rhodes investigated cases involving hauntings, psychic visions and unexplained phenomena, often blending scientific method with intuition.

Behind-the-scenes: Created by Anthony Lawrence, The Sixth Sense was an attempt to ride the early-’70s wave of interest in ESP and the paranormal. Despite intriguing concepts, it struggled in the ratings and ran for only 25 episodes. Later, edited versions of Sixth Sense episodes (trimmed to half-hour length with Rod Serling introductions) were incorporated into syndication packages of Night Gallery, keeping the show alive for a cult audience.

4. ‘The Starlost’ (1973–1974, CTV/Syndicated in U.S.)

Cast: Keir Dullea (Devon), Robin Ward (Garth), Gay Rowan (Rachel), William Osler (Computer Voice)

Premise: Set on a massive generational space ark adrift in the cosmos, the story follows three villagers—Devon, Rachel, and Garth—who discover their enclosed world is only one of many domes aboard the failing ship. As they journey through the interconnected environments, they encounter other societies, each with its own culture, in a desperate bid to save the ark from destruction.

Behind-the-Scenes: Conceived by science-fiction writer Harlan Ellison (under the pseudonym “Cordwainer Bird” after removing his name in protest), the show promised ambitious ideas but was crippled by a small budget, primitive effects and production conflicts. Though Ellison envisioned a thoughtful, high-concept series, the final result fell far short, leading to his disowning it.

5. ‘The Questor Tapes’ (1974, NBC TV Movie/Pilot)

Cast: Robert Foxworth (Questor), Mike Farrell (Jerry Robinson), John Vernon (Vaslovik), Lew Ayres (Geoffrey Darro)

Premise: Questor, an android created by the mysterious scientist Vaslovik, is activated without the full instructions that define his purpose. With only partial programming, he searches for his creator and for understanding of humanity. Aided by scientist Jerry Robinson, Questor gradually learns compassion, morality, and responsibility while struggling with the potential for immense power.

Behind-the-scenes: Conceived by Gene Roddenberry and writer-producer Gene L. Coon, The Questor Tapes was meant to launch a series exploring artificial intelligence, ethics and what it means to be human. NBC aired it as a TV movie in 1974, but network executives clashed with Roddenberry over the show’s direction and a series never materialized. Despite this, the pilot became a cult favorite, and many of its themes—particularly the android learning to balance logic and humanity—later resurfaced in Roddenberry’s Star Trek: The Next Generation character Data. Mike Farrell would move on to M*A*S*H.

6. ‘Planet of the Apes’ (1974, CBS)

Cast: Roddy McDowall (Galen), Ron Harper (Col. Alan Virdon), James Naughton (Maj. Peter Burke), Mark Lenard (Urko), Booth Colman (Zaius)

Premise: Loosely based on the hit film series, this weekly adventure followed astronauts Alan Virdon and Peter Burke, who crash land on Earth nearly 1,000 years in the future. There they discover a world ruled by intelligent apes, with humans reduced to servitude. Escaping execution, the astronauts are aided by Galen, a sympathetic chimpanzee, and together they journey across ape society while pursued by the relentless General Urko.

Behind-the-scenes: Airing only 14 episodes before cancellation, the show struggled against tough competition (Sanford and Son on NBC) and budget constraints that limited its scope. Roddy McDowall, already iconic from the films, gave the series continuity and heart as Galen, though his role was quite different from Cornelius or Caesar. Despite its short run, the series developed a cult following, and episodes were later repackaged into television movies for syndication.

Note: In 1975, NBC aired Return to the Planet of the Apes, an animated series with a different continuity. Unlike the live-action show, it leaned closer to the original Pierre Boulle novel and films, with apes driving cars and operating technology, giving audiences a fresh, more futuristic take on the ape-dominated world (although the animation was admittedly pretty horrid).

7. ‘Space: 1999’ (1975–1977, ITV in UK; syndicated in U.S.)

Cast: Martin Landau (Cmdr. John Koenig), Barbara Bain (Dr. Helena Russell), Barry Morse (Prof. Victor Bergman, Year One), Catherine Schell (Maya, Year Two), Nick Tate (Alan Carter), Zienia Merton (Sandra Benes)

Premise: In September 1999, a catastrophic nuclear explosion on the Moon propels it out of Earth’s orbit, sending the inhabitants of Moonbase Alpha hurtling through space. Commander Koenig and his crew struggle to survive, encountering alien civilizations, strange phenomena and philosophical dilemmas as they search for a new home.

Behind-the-scenes: Created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson after UFO, the series was Europe’s most expensive TV production of its time and aimed to rival Star Trek. Year One emphasized somber, thoughtful science fiction, while Year Two—retooled under producer Fred Freiberger—added faster pacing, monsters-of-the-week and the shapeshifting alien Maya to boost ratings. It didn’t. Though divisive, the show became a cult classic, remembered for its lavish production design, iconic Eagle spacecraft and brooding atmosphere.

8. ‘Ark II’ (1976–1977, CBS)

Cast: Terry Lester (Jonah), Jean-Marie Hon (Ruth), José Flores (Samuel), Jean-Marie Hon (Ruth), Danny (voiced by Lou Scheimer, the chimpanzee Adam’s companion)

Premise: Set in a post-apocalyptic 25th century, the series followed three young scientists—Jonah, Ruth, and Samuel—traveling in Ark II, a futuristic mobile laboratory designed to restore civilization after environmental collapse. Alongside their talking chimpanzee Adam, they encountered isolated communities and sought to teach cooperation, science and morality in a devastated world.

Behind-the-scenes: Produced by Filmation, Ark II was one of several live-action Saturday morning shows aimed at blending action with social lessons. The impressive Ark II vehicle was built on a modified RV chassis and the show also featured the smaller jet-powered Runabout and a jetpack. Despite the modest production values and didactic tone, its mix of sci-fi adventure and moral messaging earned it a niche following. Only 15 episodes were made.

9. ‘Future Cop’ (1976–1977, ABC)

Cast: Ernest Borgnine (Officer Joe Cleaver), John Amos (Officer Bill Bundy), Michael Shannon (Officer Haven, the android)

Premise: Veteran beat cop Joe Cleaver and his partner Bill Bundy are assigned a new trainee—Haven, an android designed to function as a police officer. While Haven possesses superhuman abilities and encyclopedic knowledge, he struggles to understand human behavior. Each episode placed the trio in routine policing situations that revealed both the potential and the pitfalls of technology replacing human judgment.

Behind-the-scenes: Created by producers Anthony Wilson and Peter Allan Fields, Future Cop was one of the first TV attempts to explore artificial intelligence in law enforcement. It ran as a pilot movie in 1976 and returned briefly as a series in 1977, totaling just a handful of episodes. The show later became the subject of a plagiarism lawsuit, as its premise closely mirrored Harlan Ellison and Ben Bova’s unproduced Brillo pilot script about a robotic cop; Ellison and Bova eventually won damages.

10. ‘The Fantastic Journey’ (1977, NBC)

Cast: Jared Martin (Varian), Ike Eisenmann (Scott Jordan), Carl Franklin (Dr. Fred Walters), Katie Saylor (Liana), Roddy McDowall (Willaway)

Premise: A scientific expedition in the Bermuda Triangle becomes trapped in a strange dimensional corridor. The survivors—including teenager Scott Jordan and his scientist companions—team with Varian, a man from the future, and Liana, a woman with psychic powers. Together, they trek across bizarre lands and times, encountering futuristic societies, ancient civilizations and moral dilemmas as they search for a way home.

Behind-the-scenes: Developed during the post-Star Trek wave of high-concept sci-fi, Fantastic Journey aired only 10 episodes before cancellation. Despite its brief run, it stood out for its ambitious storytelling and eclectic mix of cast members, including Roddy McDowall in a late-series role as the sardonic skeptic Willaway. The show’s mix of philosophy, time-travel adventure and Bermuda Triangle mystery has earned it cult recognition among fans of short-lived ’70s genre TV.

11. ‘Logan’s Run’ (1977–1978, CBS)

Cast: Gregory Harrison (Logan 5), Heather Menzies (Jessica 6), Donald Moffat (Rem), Randy Powell (Francis 7)

Premise: Spinning off from the 1976 MGM film, the series followed Logan 5, a Sandman who defects from a domed city where citizens are executed at age 30. Alongside Jessica 6 and their android ally Rem, Logan travels across a devastated future Earth in search of the legendary Sanctuary. Pursued by his former comrade Francis, the trio encounters scattered societies—some peaceful, others dangerous—that reflect humanity’s struggle to rebuild.

Behind-the-scenes: Produced by MGM Television, the series sought to capitalize on the film’s popularity and the rising demand for sci-fi after Star Wars. However, limited budgets forced heavy reuse of sets, props and visual effects from the movie. While Gregory Harrison and Heather Menzies brought charm to their roles, the show lasted only 14 episodes before cancellation.

12. ‘Quark’ (1977–1978, NBC)

Cast: Richard Benjamin (Adam Quark), Tim Thomerson (Gene/Jean), Richard Kelton (Ficus), Bobby Porter (Andy the Robot), Patricia and Cyb Barnstable (Betty I and Betty II), Conrad Janis (Otto Bob Palindrome)

Premise: This sci-fi sitcom followed Adam Quark, captain of a United Galaxy Sanitation Patrol cruiser assigned to collect space garbage. Despite his menial job, Quark and his eccentric crew—including a half-male/half-female officer, an emotionless plant humanoid, a malfunctioning robot and identical female navigators—regularly stumbled into adventures parodying popular sci-fi tropes.

Behind-the-scenes: Created by Buck Henry (co-creator of Get Smart), Quark blended sci-fi spectacle with broad comedy at the height of Star Wars mania. NBC aired a pilot in 1977, followed by seven more episodes in 1978, but the show was cancelled after poor ratings.

13. ‘Battlestar Galactica’ (1978–1979, ABC)

Cast: Lorne Greene (Commander Adama), Richard Hatch (Captain Apollo), Dirk Benedict (Lt. Starbuck), Maren Jensen (Athena), Laurette Spang (Cassiopeia), Noah Hathaway (Boxey), Herb Jefferson Jr. (Boomer), John Colicos (Baltar), Terry Carter (Col. Tigh), Tony Swartz (Jolly), Jane Seymour (Serina)

Premise: After a surprise attack by the robotic Cylons annihilates the Twelve Colonies of Man, the survivors flee across the stars aboard a rag-tag fleet led by the massive Battlestar Galactica. Commander Adama, with the help of his son Apollo, the roguish pilot Starbuck and a loyal crew, searches for the mythical Thirteenth Colony—Earth. Along the way, the fleet must outwit the Cylons, wrestle with internal strife and maintain hope for survival.

Behind-the-scenes: Created by Glen A. Larson, Battlestar Galactica was ABC’s bold attempt to capture the Star Wars audience. With special effects supervised by John Dykstra (Oscar-winning effects chief for Star Wars), the show featured impressive visuals for television but carried a massive budget. Despite high ratings for its 1978 three-hour premiere movie, the series struggled to sustain costs and lasted only one season (24 episodes).

Note: ABC revived the property briefly as Galactica 1980 (1980), bringing back Lorne Greene as Adama and introducing a new cast led by Kent McCord and Barry Van Dyke. Set years later, it depicted the fleet’s arrival at Earth, though with lower budgets and a more kid-friendly tone. The spinoff ran for just 10 episodes yet set the stage for the acclaimed 2004 reimagining.

14. ‘Jason of Star Command’ (1978–1979, CBS)

Cast: Craig Littler (Jason), Sid Haig (Dragos), Charlie Dell (Professor E.J. Parsafoot), Susan O’Hanlon (Nicole, Season 1), John Berwick (Wiki, voice), Tamara Dobson (Samantha, Season 2), James Doohan (Cmdr. Canarvin, Season 1), John Russell (Cmdr. Stone, Season 2)

Premise: A Saturday morning live-action adventure from Filmation, the series followed intergalactic troubleshooter Jason as he fought the evil space tyrant Dragos. With allies like scientist Professor Parsafoot, telekinetic Samantha and his pocket-sized robot Wiki, Jason defended the universe from Dragos’ endless schemes of conquest.

Behind-the-scenes: A spinoff of Space Academy (1977), Jason of Star Command recycled many of that show’s sets and special effects. The series ran in serialized chapters in its first season (15-minute segments aired as part of Tarzan and the Super 7) and expanded to full half-hour episodes in its second season. Notably, James Doohan joined the first season before returning to Star Trek films, with John Russell replacing him in Season 2. While aimed at kids, its mix of swashbuckling action, colorful villains, and cliffhangers earned it a loyal fan base.

15. ‘Supertrain’ (1979, NBC)

Cast: Edward Andrews (Winfield Root), Robert Alda (Harry Flood), Patrick Collins (Wayne Randall), Ilene Graff (Francine Webster), Michael Delano (Lou Atkins), Nita Talbot (Rose Casey)

Premise: Billed as “the most expensive series ever produced for television” at the time, Supertrain centered on a nuclear-powered, luxury bullet train that stretched eight cars wide and included swimming pools, shopping malls, and disco clubs. Each episode followed the passengers aboard the train, with storylines combining mystery, romance and adventure in an anthology-style format, as the train traveled cross-country at futuristic speeds.

Behind-the-scenes: Developed by NBC to be the network’s answer to The Love Boat, the series became infamous for its massive production costs. A full-scale train set was built on a soundstage, along with large-scale miniatures for exterior shots. Technical problems and ballooning expenses plagued the production and despite heavy promotion, ratings were dismal. Supertrain was cancelled after just nine episodes, leaving NBC with a notorious flop. Executive produced by Dan Curtis, the creator of the original ’60s horror soap opera Dark Shadows.

16. ‘Salvage 1’ (1979, ABC)

Cast: Andy Griffith (Harry Broderick), Joel Higgins (Skip Carmichael), Trish Stewart (Melanie Slozar), Richard Jaeckel (Jack Klinger)

Premise: Junkyard owner Harry Broderick dreams of going to the Moon—not for exploration, but to salvage the valuable equipment left behind by NASA. With the help of former astronaut Skip Carmichael and NASA fuel expert Melanie Slozar, Harry builds a homemade rocket ship, the Vulture, from scrap materials and sets out to make his dream a reality. The series followed their adventures after the successful Moon shot, as they tackled new challenges and oddball missions back on Earth.

Behind-the-scenes: Salvage 1 began with a 1979 TV movie that drew strong ratings, leading to a short-lived series. The premise combined space-race optimism with a quirky, down-to-earth charm, anchored by Andy Griffith in a rare genre role. Although the initial movie was popular, the weekly series failed to maintain momentum, running only 16 episodes across two brief seasons.

17. ‘Buck Rogers in the 25th Century’ (1979–1981, NBC)

Cast: Gil Gerard (Capt. William “Buck” Rogers), Erin Gray (Col. Wilma Deering), Tim O’Connor (Dr. Elias Huer), Pamela Hensley (Princess Ardala), Henry Silva (Kane, pilot), Michael Ansara (Kane, series), Felix Silla (Twiki, body), Mel Blanc (Twiki, voice)

Premise: Based on the classic pulp hero, the series followed astronaut Buck Rogers, frozen in space after a mishap in 1987 and revived 500 years later. Thrust into the 25th century, he teamed with Col. Wilma Deering and the robot Twiki to defend Earth from threats, most notably the seductive but dangerous Princess Ardala and her forces. The show mixed action, humor and a dash of camp as Buck adjusted to the future while helping humanity navigate new dangers.

Behind-the-scenes: Developed by Glen A. Larson and Leslie Stevens in the wake of Star Wars, Buck Rogers launched with a theatrical film in 1979 before moving to NBC as a weekly series. The first season balanced space opera adventure with tongue-in-cheek humor, while the second season shifted to a more serious, exploratory tone, adding new characters and a search-for-life premise. Ratings dropped and the show ended after two seasons.